Development and Characterization of Charcoal Briquettes from Shea Nut Shell. Journal of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 58 (5): 865-873.

Abstract

Conversion of shea butter shell charcoal to briquettes solid fuel is a means to reduce environmental pollution. This study investigated the potential of converting shea butter shell char to briquettes with cassava starch solution. The shell was pretreated and carbonized at temperature of 450°C for 45 min in a furnace. Five briquette samples were produced with constant weight mass of char and different masses of cassava starch binder was varied as 10 %, 30 %, 50 %, 70 % and 90 %. The briquettes produced were analyzed for moisture content, bulk density, shatter index, water resistance, calorific value and compressive strength. The effect of the different binder contents on quality of the briquette samples was also investigated. The result revealed moisture content varied from 9.12 % to 14.83 % and density varied from 0.61 g cm-3 to 0.85 g cm-3. The water resistance of the briquettes increased from 40.7 % to 75.5 % and shatter index increased from 71.7 % to 92.1 %., while compressive strength values ranged from 18.63 MPa to 24.46 MPa. The calorific values of the briquettes in their increasing amount of binder were found to be between 16.94 and 22.33 MJ/kg. The briquette with the highest amount of binder had compressive strength of 24.46 MPa and calorific value of 22.33 MJ/kg. The results showed the conversion of sheabutter shell to briquette can serve as an effective technique to bringing value and use to biomass wastes.